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Praying for the Welfare of the Hostages
OU EVP Rabbi Moshe Hauer
I am writing to encourage all of us – shuls, schools, and individuals – to join together on the 11th of Cheshvan, Rachel Imeinu's yahrtzeit, tonight and Thursday, in praying for the wellbeing and the release of the hostages.
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To Be Heard OU President Mitchel Aeder I just returned from a frenetic four days in Israel. Half a day was spent in dialogue with Israeli political leaders together with the Conference of Presidents. I spent most of the rest of the time visiting and listening to Israelis. The word that best describes Israel at this fraught moment is “intense.”
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Global Jewish Communal Day of Prayer on Rachel Imeinu's Yahrtzeit
Join us on Thursday, October 26, at 3:00 PM EDT, for Tehillim and chizuk with Rav Doron Perez, Executive Chairman of the Mizrachi World Movement, whose son, Daniel Shimon be Sharon, is missing in action.
Find out more |
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Since the start of the war, OU Israel staff have been working around the clock to ensure that our soldiers, as well as our participants, staff and brothers and sisters who have been evacuated from their homes in places including Sderot and Ofakim, are receiving as much physical and emotional support as possible to overcome the severe trauma they are facing. From visiting displaced families in the hotels and homes they have been evacuated to, to bringing much-needed first-aid supplies to our alumni and staff fighting on the front lines, and distributing 3,000 resilience packages to families severely impacted by the war, the OU in Israel is using its decades of experience helping at-risk youth and their families overcome trauma. In addition, OU Israel is a tremendous resource for English-speaking olim and tourists grappling with a new reality in Israel. Many are dealing with the anxiety of their first experiences with sirens and many are facing the first time their children are serving in the IDF during a war. OU Israel is providing twice-daily chizuk calls, virtual art therapy for children, tools for parents to help their families overcome trauma, volunteer opportunities and more. |
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NCSY has been on the forefront of helping teens get through this crisis, as well as giving them opportunities to help others. As a result of increased antisemitism in public schools and a culture of intolerance by administrators and classmates, NCSY shifted the emphasis of the annual JSU Presidents' Conference to focus on the urgent need to support our JSU clubs. This included workshops on how to navigate challenges, show leadership, and take action when it comes to the war in Israel and how to bring more kindness into schools. In another program, teens from NCSY Israel and NCSY Southwest united to create an online teen panel where they could share their experiences and questions with one another and provide different perspectives on the crisis. In an effort to give support to the people directly affected, NCSY Israel hosted a carnival in Yerushalayim for teens evacuated from the north and south of Israel. They came together for an afternoon of fun and enjoyment, a small respite amid an incredibly challenging situation.
What you can do to help: |
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Yachad chapters in North America have been running virtual programming for Yachad Israel participants. Additionally, Yachad participants have written letters to Israeli soldiers, as well as helped pack and ship much-needed supplies to Israel. In Israel, some in-person programming has restarted, as has the Pizza for Soldiers campaign. Watch chizuk messages from Yachad members on Instagram |
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OU-JLIC, with campus programs in both America and Israel, has access to myriad volunteers who are eager to help. There are many needs and OU-JLIC campuses in Israel have worked around the clock to do what they can to be of assistance, providing drivers who have made themselves available to the entire community, bringing supplies to bases, picking up soldiers from the airport and delivering food to families who have evacuated from the south. OU-JLIC successfully raised funds to provide soldiers with essential gear and delivered hundreds of meals to hungry soldiers stationed at multiple army bases. One campus matched families from Ashkelon with apartments and provided them with meals and clothing. Others organized volunteers for meal trains, childcare for families with called-up parents, minyanim for shiva houses, and purchased top-of-the-line drones for paratrooper units. On the local front, OU-JLIC of Greater Toronto collected 40 tons of supplies, enough for two cargo planes, and OU-JLIC Penn organized two kumzitz vigils for Israel on campus with a diverse group of students. In addition to singing, the gathering included words of chizuk, misheberachs for the hostages and for the IDF, and an opportunity for students to open up about their personal connections to the war. This is only a small part of what dozens of campuses are doing across North America. |
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Torah Initiatives was privileged to hear divrei chizuk from Rabbi Shalom Rosner and Rabbi Zecharia Resnik, both in Eretz Yisrael, and from Rabbi Moshe Elefant in America.
What you can do to help: - As a new masechta begins, Torah Initiatives is encouraging their users to learn Mishna in memory of all those who have died al kiddush Hashem and to protect our brothers and sisters from further harm.
Learn now
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We are all horrified by the intense tragedy and at the same time inspired by the remarkable feeling of achdus. The OU Women’s Initiative created "Tehillim for Our Times," the opportunity to delve into 10 perakim and connect to the messages there. These chizuk recordings include audio shiurim from Israeli educators and past Nach Yomi recordings on these perakim. May our tefillos and learning be a zechus for the memory of the kedoshim, the safe and speedy return of our captives, for the healing of our wounded, the safety of our brothers and sisters in Eretz Yisrael and help to protect all those fighting on the front lines. What you can do to help: - Tehillim and Divrei Chizuk in Support of Israel
The words of David Hamelech, written thousands of years ago, are just as relevant today.
Learn Tehillim now with audio lectures
- Tehillim and Inspiration: Connecting Women in Small Communities
Women from over a dozen small communities across the country will gather on Zoom for tefillah and chizuk, this evening at 8 PM EDT.
For more information, contact ouwomen@ou.org
- Kindling the Flame of Perseverance on Rachel Imeinu's Yahrzeit
Join women worldwide on Thursday, October 26, at 12 PM EDT, to hear words of inspiration from Rebbetzin Peshi Neuburger, Mrs. Slovie Jungreis-Wolff and Mrs. Hava Preil.
Register here
- Instagram chizuk spot
Follow us for daily inspiration @OUWomen
Follow here
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COMMUNITY PROJECTS AND PARTNERSHIPS |
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In response to the current Israeli crisis, SPIRIT is planning an upcoming program on October 31 with Dr. Naomi Baum, a psychologist living in Israel, who will provide coping strategies for those suffering from trauma and anxiety. GenAleph, the OU's parenting platform, has provided special resources for how to parent in crisis.
Watch Dr. David Pelcovitz address this topic Many families were forced out of their homes in southern Israel and are now living in shelters, hotels, and with friends and family. The Community Projects and Partnerships department wanted to do something to bring them joy and show them love and support during this challenging time. Together with OU Israel, Chabad and Achim Laoref, they organized a toy drive, which has distributed 27,500 toys so far and plans to distribute 22,000+ more over the next week. Watch the toy drive in action on Instagram |
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Impact Accelerator, which supports entrepreneurial ventures addressing our communal challenges, hosted a roundtable for Impact Accelerator alumni to discuss how to continue their important work sensitively and strategically during this difficult time. |
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KARASICK SYNAGOGUE INITIATIVES |
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The OU’s Synagogue Initiatives department offered resource templates for rabbis and shul leaders to "cut through the noise" of resources in terms of mental health, charity triage and messaging for shuls. Synagogue leadership has also been provided with self-branded fundraising templates, OU/Secure Community Network security resources and OU guidance on rallies and other gatherings. What you can do to help: - The Daily Tehillim Call features chizuk from prominent American and Israeli rabbanim.
Join us at 1:00 PM EST, Monday - Thursday
Call-in numbers: 773.377.9170 / 480.210.2150
Sign up for Tehillim Call reminder emails
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Teach Coalition has focused their efforts to ensure yeshivas and Jewish day schools remain safe and secure for our children and communities. They have worked with numerous concerned heads of schools, lay leaders and community members to provide them with security guidance and resources to protect their yeshivas and Jewish day schools. Teach Coalition has also been in constant communication with law enforcement, as well as state and local elected officials. In response, officials in New York, New Jersey, California, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Florida, have provided extra security and support for our communities: - In New York, Governor Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Tish James participated in separate special security briefings with our yeshivas and Jewish day school leaders. In addition, NYC’s Mayor Eric Adams hosted an in-person roundtable discussion regarding security.
- In New Jersey, NJ Attorney General Matt Platkin convened yeshivas and Jewish day schools for a security briefing.
- In Maryland, Homeland Security directed more patrols and more coordination between state and local enforcement. In addition, Maryland's Director of the Governor's Office of Homeland Security, Brigadier General Adam R. Flasch, convened a meeting with yeshiva and Jewish day school leaders.
- In Pennsylvania, Governor Josh Shapiro immediately extended the deadline for nonprofits to apply for security grants and strong communication across all levels of law enforcement.
- In California, officials increased security and patrols at Jewish institutions across the state.
- In Florida, schools received extra protection from Florida Highway Patrol with an armed guard stationed at their locations, while the Dept. of Education expedited the release of this year’s Jewish Day School security grant so schools can better protect their students and teachers.
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OU Advocacy has been aggressively directing its resources and relationships with American policymakers in support of Israel. OUA is engaging with their contacts across the Biden Administration (including President Biden at a meeting on October 11 and a meeting with Secretary of State Blinken on October 23) to urge and reinforce the Administration’s resolute support for Israel in this conflict. OUA is similarly engaged with Senators and Representatives. Last week, OU President Mitch Aeder, Executive Vice President Rabbi Moshe Hauer and OUA Executive Director Nathan Diament traveled to Israel with a small delegation of American Jewish leaders to show solidarity, speak with Prime Minister Netanyahu and other political leaders and meet with the families of hostages and survivors of the attacks on the southern Israeli towns.
Watch Nathan Diament’s report
OUA is leading the effort to have a historic amount of funds appropriated for emergency grants to shuls and schools for their enhanced security needs. OUA is working on having $500 million included in the supplemental appropriations package being prepared to support Israel’s war needs.
Specifically with regard to how this war is impacting Jewish students on university campuses, OUA has engaged with senior White House and U.S. Dept. of Education leaders to issue strong statements and is laying the groundwork for them to take stronger actions against university administrations that are failing to respond properly. OUA is also working with key Members of Congress for possible legislative action on this front.
OUA is planning to run a campaign over the weeks between now and Thanksgiving to have shuls across the country host Members of Congress for community meetings. The purpose of these meetings is to engage these leaders as the war continues and, if the support we’ve seen for Israel wanes, to thank those who stay strong and reinforce those who might be wavering. Through such a program OUA will be using the “power” of having these elected officials stand before their voters on this critical issues. What you can do to help: - Thank your elected officials
We have seen strong support from the U.S. government, both in statements and in action. Many of your senators, congressmen, and other political officials have made strong statements of support for the Israeli people and the IDF’s actions against Hamas. You can help this effort by ensuring this support remains in place and by sending a message of thanks to elected leaders if they have made a supportive statement.
Search their website and X (Twitter) account for any statements they may have recently made about the situation in Israel. If their statement has been positive, you can send them a message of sincere appreciation by going to their website and sending them an email. Below is a sample you can copy and paste.
Look up your elected officials here
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Sample letter:
Dear Representative [insert His/Her Last name],
As a constituent and Jewish American with many friends and family in Israel, I want to thank you sincerely for your statement of support for our ally Israel in its time of need.
As you know, on October 7th, as Jews in Israel began celebrating the holiday of Simchat Torah—50 years since the devastating Yom Kippur War—the Iran-backed terror group Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on Israel, killing unknown numbers of civilians and soldiers and taking hostages into Gaza, including American citizens. Your support gives us hope and encouragement that America will continue to be the best ally Israel has in the world. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your words. Sincerely, Your Name |
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Israel Free Spirit participated in a Birthright Stand With Israel social media campaign, resulting in over 125,000 pictures posted supporting Israel. Israel Free Spirit staff has introduced our groups to the concept of shared praying through reciting tehillim, or praying a specific prayer together such as the prayer for the safety and peace of the State of Israel and soldiers and for those injured or in captivity. Israel Free Spirit groups fundraised to buy pizza dinners for soldiers, communication devices for the community of one of their Israeli tour educators, army gear for the unit of an alum who is serving in a front line squadron as a lone soldier, for medical gear and more.
This coming week, Israel Free Spirit plans to launch a “light your candle” campaign, encouraging participants who had a bat mitzvah on the trip and received candlesticks to light Shabbat candles in the merit of those who aren’t able to at the moment as they’re in captivity, injured or fighting. |
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